Are you selling subscriptions on OnlyFans and worried about the news?
In August 2021, the largest adult content fan subscription site OnlyFans announced that it would no longer be allowing the sale of NSFW material. A decision ultimately driven by concerns over underage activity across the platform, OnlyFans has found itself without mainstream financial backing and in the firing line with US Congress over the allegations.
Just a few short weeks after the news broke, the decision has been reversed but, ultimately, the adult industry has been shaken and users want security for their business transactions.
In this guide, we take a look behind the headlines and find out exactly what is changing at OnlyFans and how it affects creators. We also look at the best OnlyFans alternatives for selling NSFW content if you want to jump ship.
Why Did OnlyFans Ban Sexually Explicit Content?
Over the last five years, adult content subscription sites have helped hundreds of thousands of XXX film stars, cam models and other NSFW entertainers monetize their interactions with their fans. And one of the most high profile of these platforms has been OnlyFans. Launched in 2016, the London-based service was one of the few original sites which not only allowed adult content creation but embraced it.
With over two million content creators, most working in the adult entertainment sector, OnlyFans is now ranked in the top ten adult websites in the world.
So, it was a bit of surprise when, in August 2021, the company announced a new policy that would effectively ban sexually explicit content.
The Story
Bloomberg broke the news on 19th August 2021 that (effective 1st October 2021) OnlyFans would be banning NSFW content across its platform.
Effectively abandoning the adult industry, it seemed that OnlyFans was under pressure from its banking partners to focus solely on SFW content.
This isn’t the first time that payment processors have been able to manipulate the userbase of platforms like OnlyFans; PayPal being the most obvious example.
In response to the news, OnlyFans confirmed their position in a statement:
“Effective 1 October, 2021, OnlyFans will prohibit the posting of any content containing sexually-explicit conduct. In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines. Creators will continue to be allowed to post content containing nudity as long as it is consistent with our Acceptable Use Policy.
These changes are to comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout providers.
We will be sharing more details in the coming days and we will actively support and guide our creators through this change in content guidelines.”
The decision was taken following increased pressure on the company after investigations were made into allegations that underage individuals were selling content. Demands from US Congress and international law enforcement agencies have all been bad news for OnlyFans and it was no surprise that the company’s financial backers would get cold feet.
Banks, including JPMorgan Chase and BNY Mellon, reportedly, withdraw their support to OnlyFans in August 2021.
The Backlash
Unsurprisingly, the news of the ban hit the adult industry in one giant shockwave.
In the days that followed the announcement, Twitter and other social media was ablaze with furious and concerned NSFW content creators. From cam stars and porn actors to clip artists and sex workers the message was of united outrage.
The backlash was widespread and creators were instantly looking for new platforms so, it isn’t hard to see why OnlyFans has had such a rapid change of heart.
The company was quick to make a U-turn and on 25th August 2021 tweeted a reversal of its decision.
“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard.
“We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned 1 October policy change.
OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”
Cynical? You’ve ever reason to be so.
With more than 130 million users purchasing subscriptions from over two million creators, the company makes 20% from all payments.
The Solution
This news has seen a tsunami of creators leaving the platform seeking an alternative way to conduct their business.
And whilst OnlyFans is doing its best to placate its members with promises of ‘inclusion’, the damage has already been done.
Creators no longer trust the service and although the embargo has been revoked, who knows whether this will be a permanent state of play.
Ultimately, the reversal of their decision may be too late as other content creators now seek security from a subscription platform who welcomes adult material…
Best OnlyFans Alternatives for NSFW Content
…Which is why we’ve come up with a list of the best adult clip sales and subscription sites to use as an alternative for your NSFW content.
So, whilst we can’t guarantee that these platforms won’t have their own crisis over time, they are currently embracing new sign ups from the adult industry.
FanCentro
Quick to cash in on the exodus from OnlyFans, FanCentro is currently offering 100% payouts for any new signups between now and 1st October 2021.
They’re also offering free support on content transfers and have been gearing up their to team to work closely with creators during handover.
Offering similar services and features to OnlyFans, you can run a pay-to-view newsfeed, sell clips and photos as well as Go Live to followers and/or fans.
Creators also love the 24-Hour Stories feature which helps to boost their number of fans.
You can also send locked or unlocked content in DMs to either your paid subscribers or free followers.
FanCentro is highly regarded for its support and you can both work with your own success coach (one-to-one) as well as learn more through the Centro University.
Fansly
Fansly is another platform experiencing a huge surge in new signups with reports that their website crashed a couple of times when news of the OnlyFans ban initially broke.
At present they aren’t offering any new signup initiatives but their standard terms are an 80:20 split of subscription and sale profits.
A relatively new site, Fansly was only launched in 2020 but began a period of rapid growth in 2021 following a surge in new content creators during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The site offers many of the same features as OnlyFans including the ability to post media and messages plus DM content to paid and free followers and fans.
We like the referral bonuses that are being offered which gives creators an additional 1% commission on ALL sales generated by new customers across the site. You can also earn as an affiliate here by referring new creators. You get 5% commission on their earnings for the first year and 1.5% commission for life!
ManyVids
With more than three million users following over 90,000 creators, Many Vids is a Canadian content sales and subscription site which was launched in 2014.
Unlike OnlyFans they have always been solely focussed on adult content and have been a preferred choice for a lot of cam models.
This is due to the fact that the site also offers livestreaming services.
Recognized in the adult industry with plenty of awards including 3 XBiz trophies (Progressive Web Company of the Year 2018 and Global Web Brand of the Year 2019), they are well trusted and established.
Just like OnlyFans, you can use Many Vids to generate a passive income through clip sales as well as through subscriptions using MV FanClub.
Ways to earn money on Many Vids include:
- Paid Live Stream and Tipping
- Selling Clips and Photos
- Selling Media Membership
- Selling Fan Club Subscriptions
- Selling Physical Items through MV Store
- Selling Custom Videos & Other Media
- Selling Social Media Interactions
- Tips & Gratuities (FundMe)
It’s a great choice for mainstream models but the inclusion of MV Fetish means that kinky performers can build a following here too.
See our full ManyVids review.
Just For Fans
Launched by a proud sex worker and self-professed ‘Porn Guardian’, JustFor.Fans is an adult blogging and content marketplace.
Sort of like a mix between OnlyFans and Tumblr (before it turned its back on NSFW content!), the platform has long been seen as a great alternative.
With 80% payouts (85% for exclusives), the income potential here is pretty damn good but what makes site particularly worth considering is its inclusivity.
Embracing fetish content and kink creators, the terms of service here are a little less strict than on other platforms. This includes water sports, fisting and lactation, all of which can be defined as ‘gray areas’ on some sites.
Just like OnlyFans you can set up paid memberships for your followers as well as sell content direct to fans.
See our full JustForFans review.
Loyal Fans
Perhaps ironically, Loyal Fans is named using an adjective that OnlyFans would do well to remember, Loyalty!
Launched in 2020, the site is a premium social media fan club subscription service which allows creators to monetize their interactions with fans.
The site isn’t exclusively designed for NSFW creators although just like OnlyFans, this is the industry from which the majority of members hail. But the sites founders do have 35+ years in the adult entertainment sector so there is a lot more trust here that the platform will adapt, grow and evolve to support the XXX industry.
Creators can monetize their content in much the same way as other alternative sites to OnlyFans with commissions currently set as 80% for:
- Live Streaming
- Subscriptions
- Video Store Sales
- Messaging
Plus, you get a healthy 5% commission for referrals.
See our full Loyal Fans review.
Is My Girl
With 15,000+ models registered, Is My Girl was launched in 2017 and is one of the smaller platforms on our list.
For some this means less competition and can be a good thing when you consider the size of sites like OnlyFans. Traffic to Is My Girl is pretty healthy and competing with fewer creators can see healthier profits if you are new to content sales.
Aimed exclusively at the adult industry, the site is only for female content creators but the company also runs Is My Guy (see below).
With 80% payouts, no caps on tips and a healthy range of ways to monetize your content and interactions, Is My Girl was designed by and for adult industry models.
In total, there are tons of ways to earn money from your account here including:
- Premium Social
- Premium Videos
- Livestreaming
- Tipping
- Locked Messages
- Fan Club Subscriptions
- Luxury Wish List
With a mobile dashboard to allow you to manage your profile on the go, Is My Girl has over 40 million social media subscribers and is fast becoming a great alternative to OnlyFans.
See our full IsMyGirl review.
Is My Guy
Launched in 2019 after the success of their original platform, Is My Girl (see above) this site is designed exclusively for male adult content creators.
Offering exactly the same business model as Is My Girl, the guys now have their own platform to shine on.
And that’s what makes this such a huge plus point for us as there aren’t many subscription and content sales platforms with the focus JUST on men.
Payouts are the same as for the girls at 80% with no caps on tips plus plenty of features and ways to earn money.
Model Hub
A part of the Pornhub group of companies and leveraging the networks three billion monthly visitors, Model Hub is perhaps the largest alternative for anyone leaving OnlyFans.
Commissions here for fan club subscriptions and tips are paid out at 80% plus video sales and custom content at 65% but on top of all that you can also earn through the Ad Revenue Program.
This means you can upload free-to-view content which can help generate you more followers but these clips will also earn you money.
Add your paid videos to Pornhub Premium and earn even more plus you can opt into the Partner Scheme for additional income. This means you can automatically share your videos to YouPorn, Tube8 and RedTube to get even greater exposure and cash!
There’s no doubt that Model Hub has one of the largest audiences but that does mean you have a huge amount of competition.
What we like about this platform is that there are some great marketing tools to help you stand out which include:
- Autotweets
- Active NSFW Discord & Reddit communities
- Helpful Blog & Video Tips
- Huge Social Media Channels
- Personlized ModelHub website
It’s definitely one for your shortlist!
See our full ModelHub review.
AVN Stars
Created by the industry, for the industry AVN Stars is a premium social media site that you definitely don’t have to worry about being banned from.
Affiliated with the AVN Media Network, the platform fully supports NSFW content including hardcore and fetish material.
In fact, AVN Stars actively encourages its creators to post content that is as explicit as possible. After all, they only earn if you do!
Offering 80% commission and on-demand payouts, the site has proven pretty popular since it was launched in Spring 2020.
Just like OnlyFans, you can sell content and subscriptions to your fan club as well as receive tips and monetize your messages.
A great way to interact with your followers, the platform originally launched with some big name stars so creators on here can rub shoulders with porn professionals.
Already one of the fastest growing adult social media platforms around, the OnlyFans situation has only helped this site.
Unlockd
A new monetized ‘fan engagement’ platform launched in the UK in 2021 and offers payouts of 85%!
Ostensibly another one-stop shop for adult content creators to sell their clips and fan club subscriptions, Unlockd has been growing fast. They already have more than 730,000 fans following almost 40,000 stars and this is only set to rise with the huge uptick in signups from former OnlyFans members.
Catering to all kinds of genre, Unlockd prides itself on being a ‘judgement free’ platform.
But perhaps the biggest selling point, in the current climate, is that they guarantee no surprise account closures of changes in the kind of content allowed!
With a high score of 4.5 on the peer review site TrustPiilot, Unlockd is ticking plenty of boxes and we like the range of ways you can earn on here as well as the high commission rate.
Despite being a UK based service, Unlockd is available internationally with payments being made in a range of currencies.
Admire Me
Launched in 2018 by UK model Chelsea Ferguson, Admire Me has become a popular lifeboat for many British adult content creators following the panic of the OnlyFans ban.
Experiencing most of its growth during the lockdowns of 2020, the site has been taking a large number of new signups over the last month.
Offering international payouts, the service may still be relatively new but the initial feedback from existing creators is really positive.
Predominantly a fan club subscription site, the platform has an elite (or VIP) feel to it which contrasts with services like Many Vids.
In keeping with this exclusivity, creators can become A List VIPs by posting regularly and being active. This all helps generate new followers and (eventually) paying fans.
Payouts are set at 80% and members can also sell content using the Premium Shop.
Adult Node
Designed by adult industry veterans after they witnessed the bans on adult content across other social media platforms, Adult Node was launched in 2019.
This adults-only playground offers a lot of the same features you’ll be used to on OnlyFans including the sale of content and fan club subscription plus livestreaming, videochat and messaging.
What we like about Adult Node though is the fact that they payout 85% commission.
There’s also far more of a community being built here and the site offers a Token System to reward a user’s activity and which can be exchanged on the platform.
So far, Adult Node is still pretty small compared to other sites on our list but is reaching an audience in excess of 500,000 each month. This is only set to increase after the fallout following OnlyFans’ intended ban.
We’d definitely recommend keeping an eye on this site as a possible alternative to OnlyFans.
Inked Girl
Our next alternative to OnlyFans worth considering is this niche platform aimed at creators who have tattoos.
Yes, it’s a bit of a specialist genre but one that has plenty of followers and is part of the same group operated by Is My Girl and Is My Guy.
The only difference is that here you join the ranks of a more alternative bunch of creators which, in turn, attracts a niche audience.
The platform offers all the same features as Is My Girl including a range of ways to monetize your content from fan club and premium social media subscriptions to clip sales, livestreaming and custom vids.
Payouts are also set at 80% with no caps on tipping plus regular payouts through industry standard payment processors like Paxum.
Inked Girl is leveraging the power that tattooed beauties hold over their fans and is definitely one for the short list if you boast some body art.
MYM Fans
Launched in 2019, MYM Fans was the first French adult social media platform.
The site is proving really popular in its native country but, also, right across Europe. And part of the reason for its success is the high payouts they offer. Creators can earn a share of up to 90% which makes MYM Fans one of the highest rates in the industry.
There are dozens of ways to earn here but the primary way is to sell subscriptions or offer content sales. Tipping though is still the best way to earn profit.
Our one concern with MYM Fans is that the company took a slight change in direction in July 2021 by expanding and changing the platform to appeal to a broader range of creators. Targeting other public figures from fields as far reaching as sports, gaming and music it looks as though MYM Fans might be becoming more ‘moderate’.
That’s not to say that adult content creators aren’t welcome but just something to be aware of if your business model is in the hardcore genre.
My Girl Fund
Next up we have a slightly different take on the OnlyFans platform.
My Girl Fund was launched way back in 2014 and has been flying under the radar for many adult content creators.
And with good reason as it’s a very unique business model.
The site is similar to a live cam platform and offers men the chance to interact directly with girls on cam or via text. The main difference here is that the fans build relationships with specific girls and the onus is on developing long term interactions.
Models set themselves a monetary target which their regular fans can contribute to and these goals are usually centred on self-improvement like funding college or even the basics like rent.
Contributors feel more altruistic about ‘donating’ money for clips or interactions and the content creators/performers often develop strong platonic bonds with their ‘fans’.
It’s not a direct replacement for OnlyFans but might be worth considering for some who want to become a ‘virtual girlfriend’ to many.
